Macron-Le Pen Election Results & NATO Response (Interviews Across US)
The day after the rematch election in France of Emmanuel Macron and Marine Le Pen occurred, while Finland and Sweden met to discuss asking to join NATO, Fox News Radio featured TBAF President John Pudner in a series of interviews across the country.
A couple of themes that developed (see partial transcript and audio below) included:
President Trump was mocked by Germany and Macron for telling Europe to start paying for their own defense and not become dependent on Russia for energy and other needs, yet Macron is not laughing at the advice now as the Russian invasion forced him and other European leaders to do exactly what Trump proposed.
Yesterday’s election rematch in France resulted in Le Pen, the conservative who has argued for less focus on NATO, finishing 600,000 votes further behind anti-Trump Macron than in the 2017 first round. As Pudner pointed out, if an instant runoff were in place between the top four or five candidates in 2017 it appears center-right Francois Fillon would have defeated Macron just as Donald Trump would have defeated Joe Biden in Wisconsin and Georgia.
Unfortunately, the traditional 2-way runoff with Le Pen as the opponent saves Macron, as in the last runoff Le Pen added only about 45% of far-right Jean-Luc Melenchon’s vote to get to 10.6 million votes, while she turned off supporters of all the other candidates to a point that Macron added 95% of their votes to surge to 20.7 million votes and win easily by 10.1 million votes. If the same model plays out in the next two weeks before the runoff, Le Pen would get much closer but still lose by 6.7 million votes, so conservatives need to hope her toned-down rhetoric can help pull a major upset.
We have run similar tables that indicate Trump would have defeated Biden in both Georgia and Wisconsin if voters for the Libertarian and Pro-life spoiler candidates had the option of listing Trump as their second choice in a Final-Five or even straight instant-runoff scenario, and likewise Fillon would have won in 2017 to stop Macron.
Below is some of the transcript from the Fox News Radio shows who booked Pudner on April 13:.
WTKS Bill Edwards Show Savannah, GA
WSJK Stevie Jay Show Champaign IL (listen to podcast, partial transcript below)
WBAP Morning News with Hal Jay & Brian Estridge Dallas TX
KURV Sergio Sanchez McAllen, TX
WILS Dave Akerly Lansing, MI
WIOD Brian Mudd Miami, FL
WHO On Who13 Des Moines, IA
WBAP The Ernie Brown Show - Trending Topics Dallas TX
Transcript: WSJK Champaign, IL Stevie Jay Show - 7:08am 4/13/22
Stevie Jay (Host): We welcome John Pudner to the program, President of Take Back Action Fund, who was an advisor to Mitt Romney and also to George W. Bush. How are you?
John Pudner (TBAF President): Doing fantastic, thanks for having me. (in most interviews across the country John drew a laugh from the host by adding, “I may also be the only person to work for Mitt Romney - 2008 State Campaign Manager in Wyoming win against John McCain - and then work for Steve Bannon!”)
Jay: Good to have you back on the program. Alright, when I hear about NATO, talking about Ukraine, and talking about Russia, I mean, it's still me right, It’s mostly US, and nothing is going to happen without the US right?
Pudner: It is. And the things that President Trump said on Europe needing to pay for its own defense, and being less dependent on Russia, they (Europe and NATO) have learned the hard way. They are not admitting they are moving toward what (Trump) said and (following) his strategies, but they are learning the lessons the hard way.
Jay: What can we do, John?
Pudner: Well the dynamics are really interesting now. They (European Countries) have become more unified, even in Finland and Sweden, which were a mixed bag (historically) in joining up with the Nazis, officially or unofficially, to fight the Soviets, are now looking at joining NATO. Any (move in that direction) takes some of the defense burden off the US long term, and (that is) where the last administration was trying to take us.
(bulk of conversation on Europe not transcribed, the interview continued …)
Jay: John Pudner, remind our listeners what are you President of, and how can people be involved with you?
Pudner: Sure, (your listeners can click on) takebackaction.org. We address a lot of things (regarding) how elections run. Ironically this race in France (this week between Macron and Le Pen is another example of why) we like having Instant Runoffs to get to a majority leaders. (If instant runoffs were in place) Biden would not have won Georgia or Wisconsin, (because instant runoffs eliminate) the spoiler candidate. Ironically France is an example (as well). Unfortunately I think Le Pen is the only one that Macron could have beaten in 2017 or this year, but there were pretty conservative candidates who could have won if you let an instant runoff play out in 2017. So (we support) some election innovations like that at www.takebackaction.org. We set up state chapters everywhere, a lot of good Illinois people, and would love to have people sign up and join.
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